The present invention relates to a convector heater.
According to the invention there is provided a convector heater comprising a front plate; a surround spaced around the periphery of the front plate so as to define an air gap between the front plate and the surround; a black plate connected at its periphery to the surround and spaced from the front plate so as to define a convection air space between the front plate and the back plate, the convection air space being open to the surrounding atmosphere at the air gap around the periphery of the front plate; and a heat exchanger disposed at the bottom of the air space for air heating to induce a convection air flow from the air gap at the bottom of the front plate, through the convection air space, to the air gap at the top of the front plate, the arrangement being such that a secondary air flow is induced into the air space through the air gap at the sides of the front plate by the main convection air flow.
Conveniently the convector heater is rectangular in shape when viewed from the front.
Preferably, the convector heater includes control means disposed at one of the top corners of the convection air space, the arrangement being such that the air flow impinging on the control means includes air from the secondary air flow entering through the respective side air gap, and is cooler than the main convection air flow leaving the top air gap. Thus the control means is prevented from becoming too hot. Conveniently, the control means is accommodated in a housing attached to the back plate. The housing is preferably of plastics material. The control means may incorporate one or more manual controls which may be made visible from above by virtue of the position of the housing at the top of the back plate. Nevertheless, it is preferable for the housing or controls not to be visible through the air gap.
In addition to cooling the control means, the secondary in-flow of ambient air at the sides may have a further advantage in permitting the heat exchanger to extend the full length of the convection air space. This allows a more efficient use of space than in an arrangement where the heat exchanger terminates short of the end of the cabinet to avoid overheating of the controls.
The air gap through which convection air enters the heater may not be large enough to provide an adequate air flow. Accordingly, apertures may be provided in the back plate for further air to enter the convection air space below the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is preferably such as is described in British Pat. No. 1,535,561.